Recent Read: Drama

Callie thinks her crush is finally in a position to sweep her off her feet when he goes back to his ex-girlfriend. As annoyed and hurt as Callie is, she has lots of friends in her middle school drama department and lots to keep her busy as she designs awesome set pieces for the upcoming musical. Soon Callie meets a couple of twins who, in addition to becoming involved in theater with her, present some interesting romantic possibilities. Drama unfolds both on stage and off in this fun, light-hearted graphic novel.

Drama by Raina Telgemeier is a fun, entertaining read. Telgemeier's illustrations are colorful and humorous. I'm sure current and former theater kids will enjoy it. The "drama" was great and very typical of this time of life I thought--crushes and gossip and the school play. And perhaps best of all, Telgemeier handles the discovery of self and sexual orientation really well. It reminded me of something that happened between two people in my own 9th grade class. The lgbtq aspect of the book is handled in an age-appropriate (middle grade), positive, and almost innocent way.

Releases September 1


Based on NetGalley uncorrected proof.

Picture This: A Home for Bird

A Home for Bird by Philip C. Stead

Vernon the frog is out foraging when he stumbles upon a bird. From the illustration, we can see that this bird is painted wood, with buttons for eyes and striped pegs for legs. But Vernon only sees a bird. He asks him a few questions with no response, and invites bird to join him. Vernon introduces Bird to his friends, and remarks very sweetly, "Bird is shy ... but also a very good listener." When Bird does not respond to the fun activities Vernon plans for them, he figures that Bird must miss home. So Vernon goes into the unknown to help find a home for Bird.

The more I look at this book, the more I love it. It's sweet. and funny. The phrase "Bird said nothing" is repeated many times throughout, and it gets funnier with each repetition--in particular, because Vernon reads into his silences: homesickness, shyness, good listening, bravery, etc. I love the illustrations--they're bright, colorful, messy, and as exuberant as the story's delightful ending.

The trailer is great btw, you can see more or less exactly what I described above except with Stead's illustrations (and music he composed, too).

 

Recent Recommendations: August 2012

Now that the Olympics are over, I can return to my life. My days have gone a little something like this the past two weeks: Wake up, watch Olympics, eat, work, watch olympics, swim, watch Olympics, eat, watch Olympics, sleep. Now I miss them. It's so much all at once it's too much, and then it ends, and I feel a little lonely.

The Rape of Europa This documentary details the plundering of Europe's art and culture by Hitler and the Nazis. It's yet another untold, little known story of World War II. Hitler was interested in art, and he wanted all of the greatest art in the world (which, of course excluded the so-called "degenerate" art of Picasso, Klimt, Van Gogh, and others) to be in a museum he planned to build. He also wanted to destroy all cultural evidence of other inferior races--which included not only Jews, but Slavs. He ordered his armies to wipe Warsaw off the face of the Earth, he destroyed the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg (Leningrad), he stole thousands of paintings, and he even ordered the bombing of his ally's historic bridges in Florence Italy out of spite (one of which was designed by Michelangelo). The Americans established the Roberts Commission, whose mission was to preserve all the cultural and historic treasures they could (though they were not always successful). The documentary is very well done, and I found it fascinating (and tragic). See it on Netflix instant view.

See what people are reading on the New York Subway: http://undergroundnewyorkpubliclibrary.com/

The Sartorialist, Scott Schuman recently posted a contest on his blog. Whoever had the best answer to this question: "What is the item of clothing that you dreamed about the most but never actually ended up wearing??" would  win a signed copy of his new book. I didn't read people's submissions, but I would expect some funny stories. One of the winning responses wasn't funny at all, it was sweet and more a comment on the meaning of fashion. Read it here.

This article on a heart shaped meadow in England created in memory of a widower's wife. See more pictures here.

Christian Tagliavini is Swiss-Italian artist/photographer who has created two collections I love. The first is called "Dame di Cartone" (cardboard ladies), in which Tagliavanini creates clothing of cardboard and paper. Inspirations include baroque styles, cubism, and 1950s fashion. The second is "1503," in which he creates photos reminiscent of old master paintings, like those of Il Bronzino, except he adds his own slightly stylized touch (I love the elongated necks). He used fabric and cardboard to make the clothes. I can't wait to see what he does next.

Birdbox Animation
Just watch this:
It's a London animation house. You can see more funny shorts on their YouTube Channel.

the xx. One of my favorite music groups, their minimal style is something I hardly know how to describe. I could listen to the album on repeat without getting tired of it. From London, the group won the Mercury Prize in 2010 for their self-titled debut album. They've just released some songs from the new album, to be released on September 10. Just take a listen. Also from the new album: "Chained"
Some songs from the first album, if you're interested: "Intro" (love this, wish it were longer, and don't forget to turn on the subwoofer), "Crystallized" (first single), "Islands" (cool video)

Recent Read: The Disenchantments

Colby has big plans. Now that he's graduated, he's going to go explore Europe with his best friend (and true love), Bev, in lieu of going to college. But before Europe, Colby's going on tour with his closest friends, a girl band called The Disenchantments. They'll play in nondescript basements and clubs in the Pacific Northwest before beginning their next big adventure. Only Bev drops a bombshell: she's abandoning Colby and their plans to go to Europe. She promises to tell him why, if he sees the tour through to the end. What does the future hold for both of them? How could she do this? And will their relationship survive?

Nina LaCour's The Disenchantments is a perfect summer read--it just has that summery feel to it. I was hooked once Bev drops her bomb. LaCour really drew me in with Colby's emotions--the pain and confusion and betrayal and his desire for answers. Each of the quirky main characters has his or her own story, and LaCour developed these characters and their relationships with one another well. She also did a good job at depicting this transitory time of life--wanting to grow up and move on, but not wanting to say goodbye, trying to figure out the future, making decisions alone, etc. It was thoughtful and reflective, with a distinct road trip feel. It's definitely a book with hipster, artsy appeal (in fact, I don't think there's a single "mainstream" character in the whole book). Some things about the book were a little too convenient, and I had some doubts/questions about the ending resolution (specifically with how Bev and Colby's conflict plays out) which I won't get into b/c of spoilers. If you're a John Green fan, there's a good chance you'll enjoy this, too.

Recent Read: Monstrous Beauty

Plymouth , MA, 1872: Syrenka is one of the unearthly beauties of the sea, half human, half fishy dolphin, frighteningly lethal. Despite the tragic ends of her last love affair with a human, she finds herself drawn to a young scientist in Plymouth, MA who spends his days studying the sea. 

150 years later in modern-day Plymouth, 15-year-old history-buff Hester contemplates the loveless, celibate life she has resolved to lead because of what she is convinced is an undiagnosed genetic condition which causes the women of her family to die within a week of their first child's birth. But when she meets a mysterious stranger on the beach, she feels an overpowering connection that causes her to falter in her resolve.

At his suggestion, she begins to research her family's history to see if she can figure out why the mothers have died and if she can stop the cycle.

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama is a wonderfully gothic story--romance, tragedy, some horror, a smidgen of violence, doomed lovers, curses, ghosts, hauntings. Delicious! I love this kind of stuff!! Plus, it's original. I haven't encountered anything quite like it. Great mythology, nice use of language. There's an interesting historical (and geneological) element to it, as Hester goes through microfilmed newspapers, looks at gravestones, etc to uncover the past. A sense of foreboding pervades the story and helps to create suspense. Though not every revelation is a surprise, I still found myself impelled to find out what was going on and uncover mysteries. There is one rape scene. It's brief, it's not graphic, but it does happen.

Read the prologue and first chapter here.

Release date: September 4, 2012

(review based on advanced reading copy, uncorrected proof)